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■ 
SPECIAL REPORT % 

OF THE 

COMMITTEE OX CITY PROPERTY, 

RELATIVE TO 

SEDGELEY P^RTv. 



To the Select and Common Councils 

of the City of Philadelphia, 

The Committee on City Property Leg leave respectfully to 
report : — 

That they have had again under careful consideration the 
subject of Sedgeley Park and its presentation to the City of 
Philadelphia as the generous gift of a number of our most 
valued citizens. They have been induced thus to review their 
farmer action by the boldness and violence of the language in 
which the purity of the motives and the integrity of the con- 
duct of the gentlemen who united in presenting this property 
to the city was assailed upon the floor of the Common Council 
at the meeting held on the 8th inst. Imputations like these, 
thrown out in the progress of heated discussion, and wholly 
unsustained except by violent declamation and reckless asser- 
tion, would, under ordinary circumstances, merit no further 
attention than the salutary rebuke administered to their author 
in the progress of the debate ; but in this instance the Com- 
mittee on City Property, which earnestly recommended the- 






acceptance of the gift, have felt that it was due alike to the 
committee; to the citizens who gave; and to the citizens who, 
in all time, may enjoy the noble gift, that assaults such as 
those which were made upon the motives and the characters 
of these generous citizens should have on the records of the 
Councils an unanswerable refutation. 

Sedgeley Park, containing thirty-three acres, and adjoin- 
ing Lemon Hill on the north, was presented to the city in the 
month of March, 1857, by citizens who voluntarily gave in 
cash $60,000 towards its purchase, and then conveyed the 
premises, subject to the balance of the purchase money, 
(§65,000,) as a free gift to the citizens of Philadelphia,' to be 
used as a Park, in connection with Fairmount Park, for the 
health and enjoyment of all the people forever. In combination 
with the city grounds at Fairmount, which embrace 24 acres, 
Fairmount Park, which contains 45 acres, and the grounds of 
the Spring Garden Water Works, which contain 8| acres of 
ground, the Sedgeley Park estate forms a Park upon the bank 
of the Schuylkill of 110J acres, extending from Callowhill 
street on the south, (with the interruption of a small piece of 
wharf property at and adjacent to Coates street,) to a point 
more than a mile northward of the dam. Independently of 
the remarkable natural adaptation of these beautiful grounds 
. to the purposes of a noble Park, they constitute the bank of 
the Schuylkill, and their possession by the city insures the 
purity of the water in the Fairmount basin, whose border they 
constitute for a mile above the dam. 

It was the design of the citizens who presented these pre- 
mises to gather by subscription the entire purchase money, 
but their efforts were not successful, and their original con- 
tract with Mr. Dreer, which contemplated the payment in 
cash of the entire purchase money, was modified so that the 
cash payment was placed at $60,000, and the balance was suf- 
fered to remain on mortgage upon easy terms of payment. 
As the premises were free from encumbrance, in the hands of 
their owner, Mr. Dreer, with the exception of §11,000, and 
they were to be presented to the city subject to §65,000 of 
the purchase money, the balance of the encumbrance was 
divided into two parts, and charged upon different portions of 
the premises. To relieve the City of Philadelphia from giving 
her bonds for these balances of the purchase money, the pre- 






raises were charged by Mr. Dreer himself with these two mort- 
gages, (making, with the 811,000 mortgage, the balance of the 
encumbrance, subject to which they were to be given to the 
city,) before he executed the deed. This was done with the 
full knowledge and previous approval of the Committee on 
City Property. 

Such is the simple history of this noble gift to our citizens. 
In the list of the givers will be found the names of men whom 
we have been taught to regard as of the purest and best of 
our citizens, many of whom have won for themselves by long 
lives of probity and honor the confidence of all good men 
among us. Two of them — brothers — the worthy sons of an 
honored and faithful servant of the city of Philadelphia in 
her Councils — the late Thomas P. Cope — contributed each o 
them $10,000 ; one of them an enlightened citizen of New 
York, having no interest in Philadelphia, gave $500, and 
another, a citizen of New Jersey, $100, and yet another, a 
Philadelphian by birth, but resident abroad for many years, 
sent $1,000 as his contribution. We venture to assert, after 
the fullest inquiry, that a more noble act was never done by 
better men or from purer motives. 

Under such circumstances the committee have been aston- 
ished beyond measure at the imputations made (they are happy 
however to believe only by one gentleman,) that any bad faith 
attended this transaction, or that it was in truth other than a 
most generous act, deserving the lasting gratitude of the city of 
Philadelphia. The committee have gathered together, and 
submit herewith in permanent form, proof the most ample of 
the wicked and calumnious falseness of the base imputations 
to which they have referred. This proof consists of the state- 
ments of Charles Megarge, F. J. Dreer, N. B. Browne, 
Frederic Graff, Geo. W. Biddle, Thos. Ridgway, Matthew 
Newkirk, Jas. Page, W. D. Kelley, Jno. Bonsall & Co., and of 
other gentlemen, all of which accompany this report, and 
which they earnestly recommend to the perusal and considera- 
tion of members of Councils. The proof addresses itself to 
the value of the property in money and to its yet greater 
value as a Park and as a security for the purity of the Schuyl- 
kill water to the city of Philadelphia — to the good faith of 
the subscriptions, and to the fact that all of them were hon- 
estly and in good faith paid precisely as they purported to 
have been made. 



As to the value of the property itself Mr. Megarge states 
that by direction of two gentlemen, he offered in 1854, to Mr. 
Dreer, $100,000 for the property; the purpose being to 
present it to the city, and that Mr. Dreer declined to sell 
at that price. Mr. Dreer substantiates the statement of Mr. 
Megarge on the subject, and also states that pending its 
sale to the gentlemen who in March last presented it to 
the city, he received and "refused offers by which a larger 
sum would have been realized than upon the original terms 
offered to the city." Mr. B. H. Yarnall states that on 
the western bank of the river opposite Sedgeley, where ground 
is of less value than upon this side, he sold as an executor, in 
1854, large portions of ground at the rates of $6,000, and of 
$7,000 per acre, while the price paid for Sedgeley is less than 
$4,000 per acre. Mr. P. F. Snyder, an experienced judge, 
says, "it is worth at least $120,000." Mr. Matthew New- 
kirk says, " I have no hesitation in stating that, at the time 
of the purchase, I consider the land was worth double the amount 
of the existing mortgages upon it." Messrs. Bonsall & Co. 
say, " we are of opinion that the price paid to the late owner 
of that property was a fair one and not more than it was really 
worth ; we have no doubt that prior to that purchase it could 
have been sold off in parcels for more money." The commit- 
tee invite attention to these and to similar statements from 
competent judges of the highest respectability, which accom- 
pany this report, and which show, beyond honest doubt, the 
fairness of the price. 

It would seem scarcely credible that an assertion should 
have been made, that the subscriptions were not real but 
" bogus," to use the language of the person who made this 
assertion. It would be an answer in this community to point 
to the names of the gentlemen who are so basely calumniated 
by such an insinuation. Yet, if an answer is needed, the 
statement of Mr. Thomas Ridgway, which accompanies this 
report, and also that of the Hon. N. B. Browne, and of seve- 
ral others will amply furnish it. 

The committee invited Mr. Andrew Miller, member of 
Common Council from the Third Ward, and the author of the 
statements to which reference has been made, to meet with 
them and exhibit the proof of their truth. The correspond- 
ence with Mr. Miller accompanies this report. 



He attended the committee, again repeated the statements, 
and stated the proof of their truth to be as follows, viz : That 
he had examined in the Recorder of Deeds office the deed by 
which Mr. Dreer acquired his title, and found that it bore date 
March 24, 1851, and expressed as its consideration $26,750,* 
that he therefore inferred that it could not honestly be worth 
to the city, in 1857, $125,000, and still further inferred that 
the alleged subscriptions of $60,000 were "bogus," and that 
the one hundred and forty citizens of hitherto unquestioned 
good name, who professed to give the money, had not done so 
in fact, but had conspired with Mr. Dreer (to cheat and 
defraud the city by loaning their names to a pretended, but 
not real, subscription,) to put this property on the city at an 
enormous price. Mr. Miller admitted that he had stated on 
the floor of Councils that he had himself been asked to sub- 
scribe with the understanding that he was not to be called 
upon for his subscription, but now explained the statement by 
saying that at the time he understood it to mean that his sub- 
scription would not be asked for in cash until the list was full, 
but had inferred since he saw the deed to Mr. Dreer that an 
opposite and corrupt purpose existed in the statement then 
made to him. 

The committee desire to state Mr. Miller's reasons fairly, 
and to leave them, in their unabated force, for the considera- 
tion of members of Councils. They desire to leave the whole 
subject upon the testimony without comment. They would 
be at a loss to give fitting expression to the impression it has 
made upon their own minds in view of the character of the 
gentlemen, who so nobly gave this property to the city of 
Philadelphia from motives the most pure and generous, and 
of the grounds upon which they have been assailed and 
maligned. 

For themselves they have only to say, that they review 
their previous recommendation to Councils to accept this 
generous gift with feelings of the greatest satisfaction, and 

* la April, 183G, Sedgeley was purchased by J. S. Lloyd for $80,500, 
and was subsequently let out upon ground rent by him for §260,000. The 
ground rents became the property of Mr. Downer, of New York, who died 
leaving children, who sued out the arrearages of ground rent, and purchased 
the property at sheriff's sale. In 18-31, being resident in another city, and 
the times being greatly depressed, they sold the premises to Mr. Dreer for 
$26,750. 



rejoice in the firm conviction that after times "will recognize 
all who have been instrumental in effecting the addition of 
Sedgeley to Fairmount Park as public benefactors. 

Respectfully submitted by 

Theo. Cuyler, Chairman. 
E. T. Mott, 
Thos. C. Steel, 
R. M'Cay, Jr., 
Wm. Neal, 
Wm. McFadden, 
Reed A. Williams, 
Stephen Benton. 
October 15, 1857. 



704 Walnut Street, October 10, 1857. 
Andrew Miller, Esq., 

Sir — I beg leave to address you as Chairman of the Com- 
mittee on City Property, and to solicit from you as a mem- 
ber of the City Councils for the use of that Committee, the 
evidence which will sustain the truth of certain statements 
made by you on the floor of the Common Council last Thurs- 
day. You were understood to say when the Sedgeley Park 
Ordinance was under discussion that the whole scheme was 
one of fraud and deception, designed only to foist upon the 
City a property of small value at an enormous price. That 
many of the subscriptions pretended to have been made, were 
not real, and that the money never was, in truth, paid for 
them, and that you, yourself, had been asked to subscribe 
with the statement accompanying the request for your name — 
that you would not be asked or expected to pay your sub- 
scription. 

The acceptance of this noble park by the City, was unani- 
mously and earnestly recommended by the Committee on 
City Property, as they believed, with full knowledge of every 
fact and circumstance attending what they supposed to be an 
act of noble generosity on the part of some of the best and 
purest men we have among our citizens. 

I cannot suppose that any gentleman would make state- 
ments such as those I have quoted from your remarks, unless 
he had evidence of their truth. If they are true, the com- 
mittee which recommended the acceptance of the gift will give 
most respectful consideration to any proof of their truth, and 
will unite with you in efforts to undo what has already been 
done. 

I beg leave to inform you that the committee will be in 
session at the Select Council Chamber, on Monday afternoon 
the 11th instant, at 4 o'clock, and will be pleased either to 
meet you in person, or to receive any communication you 
may send. 

Respectfully yours, 

THEO. CUYLER, 

Chairman, $c. 



206 South Fifth Street, October 12, 1857, 2 P. M. 
Theo. Cuyleu, Esq., 

Sir — I received about two hours ago, your note of the 10th, 
concerning what I have said in Common Council, in relation 
to the pretended purchase by the City, of the Sedgeley 
Estate. I have not said all that is in your note, imputed to 
me, nor do I remember using, at any time, the language 
therein set forth. 

But I am willing, and I desire to appear before the Com- 
mittee on City Property, to which you invite me, and to be 
examined under oath, where I think I can show a series of 
facts that will convince any disinterested mind, that the whole 
proceeding in relation to the purchase of Sedgeley, is founded 
upon an attempt to perpetrate a most foul fraud upon the 
Tax Payers of Philadelphia. 

I have an engagement at half past three this afternoon, 
but will make every effort to be in the Committee Room by 
half-past four, at latest. 

Very respectfully, etc., 

ANDREW MILLER. 

Theo. Cuyler, Esq., 

Chairman, §c. 



October 13, 1857. 
Andrew Miller, Esq., 

Dear Sir — The Committee on City Property, will again 
be in session at the Select Council Chamber, on Wednesday 
afternoon, (to-morrow,) at 3| o'clock, P. M., and I am in- 
structed by the Committee again to extend to you the invita- 
tion of my former note. 

Very respectfully, 

THEO. CUYLER, 

Chairman. 



To Theo. Cuyler, Esq., 

Chairman of the Committee on City Property. 

Dear Sir, — In answer to yours of the 10th, I would state 
that I had never offered the Sedgeley Property for sale ; that 
my intention in regard to it was to hold it until I deemed it 



9 

a proper time to divide it up into lots. I, however, in the 
year 1854, yielded to the wishes of the Committee on City 
Property, and fixed the price of the same at 5150,000, paya- 
ble at the end of five years. This was the lowest price which 
I had ever intended to accept for the property — as from the 
offers which had from time to time been made to me for por- 
tions of the ground, I felt satisfied it would yield me a much 
larger sum by selling out in lots. 

In April, 185G, I received through Mr. Charles Megarge, 
an offer of one hundred thousand dollars from private parties ; 
this offer I declined. 

In the month of November, 1856, I was again approached 
by a committee of citizens and requested to fix the lowest 
price at which I would sell for the purpose of adding it to 
Lemon Hill for a Public Park. It was then stated to me that 
the design was to purchase by private subscription. In view 
of the manner and object of the purchase, I was induced to 
fix my price at $125,000, and agreed to become a contribu- 
tor to the object in $5,000; upon these terms the purchase 
was closed in April last. The purchase was made subject to 
the acceptance of the property by the city, and was upon its 
acceptance completed by the payment of the purchase money 
and the execution of the deed. 

As to the value of the property, I would state that during 
these negotiations, I refused offers by which a larger sum 
would have been realized than upon the original terms offered 
to the city, but I had determined not to sell at that time, and 
yielded only in consideration of the purpose for which the 
property w T as sold. 

I am respectfully yours, 

FER'D J. DREER. 
October 12, 1857. 



To Theodore Cuyler, Esq., 

Chairman of the Committee on City Property. 

Dear Sir, — In 1855, I was a member of Common Council 
from Twenty-first ward, and on the Committee of City Pro- 
perty. Two propositions were before the committee at that 
time, one was to form a Park at Fairmount extending along 



10 

the river to the Spring Garden Water "Works. The committee 
regarded this as the most central spot that could be obtained 
for the purpose, and looking to the great advantage it would 
be to our drinking water, recommended the leasing of the 
property for five years, the city to pay for the land at the 
end of the lease, the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand 
dollars. These were the best terms that could at that time 
be effected. It gave the city a truly beautiful park of some 
one hundred acres at a cost comparatively small when the 
great advantages to be derived from it should be taken into 
consideration. The recommendation of the committee was 
adopted by Select Council, but no action at that time was 
taken by Common Council. Some time subsequently to this, 
I was authorized by two citizens of Philadelphia to negotiate 
for the purchase of the land on their account, and they autho- 
rized me to give one hundred thousand dollars for the pro- 
perty. I was very anxious to consummate this purchase at 
the price named, but my offers were declined by Mr. Dreer, 
as he considered the property at the time worth far more than 
my offer. 

When the friends of the Park started the plan of securing 
it by a public contribution, I cheerfully became a subscriber 
with a full knowledge of all the circumstances I have men- 
tioned. 

Very truly yours, 

CHARLES MEGARGE, 

Sixth and Carpenter Streets. 

October 10, 1857. 



To Theodore Cuyler, Esq., 

I am well acquainted with the land formerly the Sedgeley 
Park Estate, now belonging to the city of Philadelphia, and 
forming the northern portion of Fairmount Park. I, myself, 
own property in that vicinity, and I have no hesitation in 
stating that at the time of the purchase, I consider the land 
was worth double the amount of the existing mortgages upon it. 
When the subscriptions were made by citizens toward the 
purchase, with a full knowledge and approval of the same, 
I became a contributor to the fund in $5000. 

M. NEWKIRK. 



11 

Philadelphia, Oct. 13, 1857. 
Theodore Cuyler, Esq., 

Dear Sir : — In answer to yours, we have to say that, from 
our knowledge of the value of the Sedgeley Estate, now 
forming part of Fairmount Park, we are of opinion that the 
price paid to the late owner of that property was a fair one, 
and not more than it was really worth. We have no doubt 
that, prior to that purchase it could have been sold off in 
parcels, for more money. It is quite certain that the addition 
of Sedgeley has immensely enhanced the value of Lemon Hill 
as a pleasure ground or park. By this addition Lemon Hill 
has been brought up to Girard avenue, and thus thrown open 
to the people of the northern part of Philadelphia, and to 
those west of the Schuylkill. It would be perfect madness 
to attempt to destroy it, and we think no gentleman would 
entertain such a thought, who had given the matter any seri- 
ous reflection. 

Respectfully yours, 

JOHN BONSALL & CO., 

Conveyancers. 



To Theodore Cuyler, Esq., 

Chairman of the Committee on City Property, 

About the year 1854, I, as one of the executors of the 
estate of Ellis Yarnall, deceased, sold to Birkenpine & Trot- 
ter a lot of ground on the Schuylkill, nearly opposite Sedge- 
ley, 175 feet front, and 375 feet deep, for the sum of nine 
thousand dollars, being at the rate of six thousand dollars per 
acre, there were no improvements on the said lot. The 
executors, also, before this, sold a lot of ground adjoining on 
the river at the rate of about seven thousand dollars per acre. 
My father sold two lots of ground adjoining on the north, at 
the same rate, that is about 1 -f^ dollars per foot. I was 
not a subscriber to the fund for the purchase of Sedgeley 
Park, and therefore made no examination at the time of its 
purchase as to its value, but have no doubt, as well from the 
facts I have stated as from my knowledge of the property, 
that the price paid was its fair and proper value. 

B. H. YARNALL. 

Philadelphia, Oct. 13, 1857. 



12 

No. 113 South Fifth street, Philadelphia. 
To Theodore Cuyler, Esq. 

Chairman of Committee &c. 

Dear Sir : — I have examined a plan of the Sedgeley 
estate, divided into building lots, and am of opinion that it is 
worth at least $120,000; and that its advantages as a Park 
for the People, are almost unparalled. 

Respectfully yours &c, 

PHILIP P. SNYDER. 



Senate Chamber October 12, 1857. 

My Dear Sir: — In answer to your note in reference to 
the subscriptions for the purchase of the land now forming 
the Northern part of Fairmount Park, I can only say that 
the amount Contributed by myself, $1000 was paid in cash 
to Mr. Ridgway, the Treasurer of the fund. 

This was upon the solemn pledge in the ordinance of the 
16th, of April last, that the City would assume the balance 
of the purchase money, and hold the ground thus acquired, 
not merely for the preservation of the purity of the Schuylkill 
water, but as a Park for the free and common use and enjoy- 
ment of the people forever. 

On examination of the premises, I was then satisfied that 
the price at which the Contributors obtained it, was quite 
moderate, and bore no reasonable comparison to the advan- 
tages accruing to the public from its possession. 

In Common with the other contributors I shall feel deeply 
disappointed, if by the action of Councils, this property shall 
be sacrificed, and diverted to other uses. 

Such a result would involve as much dishonor to the City 
of Philadelphia, as a repudiation of her loans. 

I am very truly &c, 

N. B. BROWNE. 

Theodore Cuyler, Esq, 

Chairman of Committee of City Property. 



13 

Philadelphia, Oct. 12, 1857. 
To Theodore Culler, Esq., 

Chairman Committee on City Property. 

Dear Sir : — In view of the present anil future purity of 
the Schuylkill water supplied to our citizens from Fairmount, 
I certainly consider it of vital importance that the city should 
retain the entire control by ownership of the shores immedi- 
ately bordering upon the pool formed by the dam. 

The impurities thrown out from the shores upon the south 
side have at present a pretty good chance of finding their way 
into the thread of the stream, and being carried over the dam, 
or of passing through the canal to the river below. This is 
not the case with those from the Sedgeley Park side of the 
river, they cannot be sufficiently deflected from the banks to 
reach the rapid current of the river, but hug the shores as 
such matters generally will, and are carried almost directly 
toward the mouth of the forebay of the Water Works, there to 
be pumped up and supplied to our citizens. 

The very judicious purchase of the property on that shore 
exhibited commendable foresight, and I much regret to hear 
any doubt expressed of its remaining entire in the hands of 
the city corporation forever. 

I consider the retention of the Sedgeley Park portion of it 
to be of the utmost consequence ; inspection of the whole 
river front of that estate, from Girard Avenue Bridge to 
Pratt's Point, will show that it forms a deeply indented cove, 
the river thereby becoming much wider at that spot causes a 
sluggish retardation of the current at the shores, by no means 
calculated to carry off such impure matter as would be dis- 
charged from dye-houses, breweries, slaughter-houses, or 
similar establishments, such as may be built upon the property 
should the city be induced to abandon its ownership. 

Such a cove as is here formed will retain these impurities 
for a longer or shorter time according to the height of the 
water upon the dam, and will in fact form a natural receiving 
reservoir from which a new supply of impure matter would be 
constantly, slowly but surely distributed and conducted to the 
forebay of the Water Works. 

That this would be the natural result, I think any one can 



14 

convince himself by an inspection of the formation of the 
shores at this place. 

It is to be hoped that the city will allow no consideration 
to deprive them of the ownership of any part of the shores 
which they now possess as high up as the upper line of the 
late Spring Garden Water Works, and that every exertion 
will be made to strictly guard it from tenants whose business 
would cause any contamination whatever of the water supply ; 
also, that the sewers and natural water courses which are 
already permitted to discharge their filth upon parts of the 
river front above designated be suppressed as early as possible. 
For if the shores be guarded there is no difficulty in carrying 
all such objectionable drainage to a point below the dam. 

Very respectfully, 

FREDERIC GRAFF, 

Consulting ^Engineer. 



Theodore Cutler, Esq., 

Chairman of the Committee on City Property. 

In answer to your note of this date, I have to state that in 
compliance with a request of certain citizens, convened at a 
meeting held on the second of January last, I became Trea- 
surer of a fund, contributed by themselves and others, for the 
enlargement of the park at Fairmount. With a due appre- 
ciation of the importance of these grounds, as well for the 
preservation of the purity of the water as for the health and 
comfort of the citizens, I undertook the trust imposed upon 
me. The names of all the contributors submitted to Councils 
and now upon their Journals, with the amounts of their several 
subscriptions, were accurately transcribed from the original 
subscription book in my possession, which has always been 
open to public inspection. Out of the whole number of one 
hundred and forty contributors, one hundred and thirty-four 
subscriptions were received by me in full, leaving but six 
unsettled. Of these, one, a subscription by the estate of 
Henry Baring, was by its terms not payable at that time ; 
two others, of one hundred dollars each, and three small sub- 
scriptions amounting together to eighty dollars, were con- 



15 



siclered at settlement as good, and accepted as cash by the 
former owner of the property. The entire fund was retained 
in my possession, with the understanding that in the event of 
the acceptance of the grounds by the City Councils, subject 
to certain specified mortgages, forming the balance of the 
purchase money, that the same should be paid over to the 
owner of the property ; or, upon the non-acceptance of the 
land by the city, returned to the contributors. 

The City Councils having with great unanimity accepted 
the property on the terms I have stated, in execution of the 
trust reposed in me, I paid over the whole amount of the 
funds in my hands as purchase money, and the Trustees 
selected by the contributors accepted a deed from the former 
owner. 

A conveyance was then duly executed an& delivered by 
them to the city, in conformity with the terms of acceptance 
agreed upon by Councils. 

It may not be improper for me to say that the contributors 
to this fund relied upon the plighted faith of the city to fully 
carry out the ordinance of April, 1857, which declares "That 
these premises be and they are hereby dedicated to public use 
and enjoyment forever, as a park, in connection with and as 
a part of Fair mount Park." 

I annex a list of the contributors. It embraces, as you 
will perceive, a large number of the heaviest tax-payers of 
Philadelphia. It also contains the names of a citizen of New 
York, who contributed $500, and a citizen of New Jersey, 
who contributed $100. A former resident of our city, now 
living in Europe, answered the circular of the committee by 
sending a subscription of $1000. 

Very respectfully, 

THOS. RIDGWAY. 



To Theodore Cutler, 

Dear Sir : — I am a resident of the Fifteenth Ward and well 
acquainted with the ground now forming Fairmount Park. — 
At the time of the purchase, I fully considered the question 
of price, and after mature deliberation came to the conclu- 
sion that the sum fixed upon was a fair one. Believing it to 



1G 



be one of the most important improvements ever undertaken 
in Philadelphia, and being willing to further the project, I 
united in a contribution for the purchase of the property, and 
paid $500. I did this in the fullest confidence that we had 
secured, by this act, the grounds for the citizens of Philadel- 
phia, and preserved, in the only possible manner, the purity 
of our drinking water. 

I am respectfully, 

HIRAM MILLER. 

October 12, 1857. 



Philadelphia, October 12, 1857. 
Theodore Cutler, Esq., 

Chairman of Committee on City Property, 

Dear Sir : — Permit me to address you upon a subject of 
great public interest. It is the recent donation of the Sedge- 
ley estate to the city upon certain conditions. The impor- 
tance of the preservation of the water our citizens daily drink is 
so manifest — has been so freely discussed, and so universally 
admitted, as to render any further allusion to it at this time 
superfluous. Therefore the first question I present for your 
consideration is, was the Sedgeley estate necessary for the 
attainment of this important object ? I say, it was, and is of 
incalculable value to our city, especially if the land lying 
between Lemon Hill and Fairmount is also secured, which no 
doubt it will be, through the same source this valuable dona- 
tion was derived. 

Then our citizens, both the rich and the poor, will have 
secured to them, if all is laid out as a park, the two most 
important elements to sustain life, pure air and pure water. 

The next question is, what kind of buildings would have 
been erected upon this land and how soon, had it remained in 
its former possessor's hands ? It could not be expected to 
remain long unimproved and unproductive, when far above 
this point, o;i the river, much of the land has been improved. 
The buildings this land would be occupied with, from my know- 
ledge of the locality and the wants of the neighborhood, would 
be factories, workshops, breweries, tenements for the opera- 
tives in them, and houses most probably erected for the accom- 
modation of several families in each. The amount of impurities 



17 

from such sources which would find their way into the river, and 
contaminate the water we daily drink, would be beyond all pre- 
sent calculation. It may be said that improvements of such 
a character or of any kind would be a remote affair. Not so 
in enterprising hands. Look at the number of houses which 
have been erected within a few squares east of this property, 
in the last few years. 

The final question is — the value of the land when it was 
donated to the city. The answer to this, verified as it can be 
from various sources, will fully confirm the wisdom of Coun- 
cils in accepting the property upon the conditions enjoined. 
Mr. Dreer purchased Sedgeley after one of those terrible 
revulsions somewhat similar to the present. I have no 
doubt of his ability to have sold portions of this land at rates 
far exceeding the price per acre sold to the contributors 
who donated it to the city. 

This opinion is founded upon actual sales that have 
been made upon both sides of the river, at prices vary- 
ing from $4,000 to $7,000 per acre. Of course, I am 
speaking of lots sold at these rates. I sold a lot on the 
west side of the river, at over the highest rate named, which 
has been improved and would command a still higher price. 
A portion of the Yarnall estate, opposite Sedgeley, sold at 
over $5,000 per acre three years ago ; another portion of the 
same estate has been sold for building purposes, at over 
$6,000 per acre. Most of the improvements made in this 
neighborhood and some distance beyond, have been made 
upon land which cost the present owners over $5,000 per 
acre. I would not sell my entire estate, which is on the west 
side of the river, and above Sedgeley, for $2,000 per acre to- 
day. I am no speculator, having resided upon my farm for 
20 years. Am in no way connected with this noble bequest, 
yet from daily observation of the vast amount of impurities 
washed from the comparatively unimproved land which borders 
the Schuylkill, I most heartily concurred in the wisdom of 
Councils accepting this property, and as a tax-paying citizen 
hope most sincerely that Councils will forthwith take measures 
for the opening of the whole of the Fairmount Park to the 
people, and do all, besides, within their power to preserve the 
purity of the water we are compelled daily to drink. 
With much respect, 

Your obedient servant, 

WM. S. TORR. 



18 
To Theodore Cutler, Esq., 

Chairman of tho Committee on City Property. 

I am a resident of Coates street near Fairmount, and am 
well acquainted with the property, now belonging to the city, 
forming the northern portion of Fairmount Park. This land 
has a large river front and an extensive front on the railroad. 
I consider that the price paid for this land by the contributors 
to the fund for its purchase, a low one, and I would have been 
willing to unite with a company to take it at the rate it sold 
for. The property is undoubtedly worth far more than the 
mortgages upon it, and to the City of Philadelphia, I consider 
it of the greatest importance. It should be preserved forever as 
a protection to the water we drink. With a full understand- 
ing of all the circumstances attending its purchase, I became 
a contributor of five hundred dollars, which I paid to Mr. 
Ridgway, the Treasurer of the fund. 

D. T. MOORE. 

October 10, 1857. 

October Uth, 1857. 
Theo. Cutler, Esq., 

Dear Sir, — May I express to you my earnest hope, that 
the Councils will make early provision for paying the interest 
on the mortgage of Mr. Cox, upon the ground recently con- 
veyed to the city for the purposes of a park. 

The land in question was purchased at a low price, the sub- 
scriptions made by our citizens were most liberal, and the 
possession and control of the land is absolutely essential to 
the health of the people of our city. My interest in this 
matter is simply that of a citizen, but it is cordial, and must 
be my excuse for thus trespassing upon your time. 
Very truly yours, 

WM. D. KELLEY. 



Philadelphia, Oct. 13, 1857. 

Dear Sir : — I became a contributor to the fund for the 
purchase of the land lying between Lemon Hill and the Spring 
Garden Water Works, with a view not only to the forming a 



19 

public park for the people of the city of Philadelphia, but to 
preserve as far as possible the purity of the Schuylkill water. 

My subscription was duly paid to Mr. Ridgway, the Trea- 
surer of the fund. 

The city having accepted the land and pledged itself to hold 
it forever for the free use of the people as a pleasure ground, 
is bound in my judgment to redeem its pledge. 

My subscription was made with a full knowledge of the 
price agreed to be paid for the land, and at the time of the 
purchase I did not regard the price as being out of the way. 

Very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

JAMES PAGE. 

Theodore Cutler, Esq., 

Chairman Committee Councils. 



No. 204 South Fifth street, Uth Oct. 1857. 
Theodore Cuyler, Esq., 

Chairman of Committee of City Property. 

Dear Sir : — I take pleasure in saying that I cheerfully 
united in the movement made last winter to secure the thirty- 
three acres known as ' Sedgeley,' so as to unite the same to 
Lemon Hill, to form a park for the people on the banks of the 
Schuylkill. Prom personal knowledge, and from inquiries 
made at the time from those in whose opinion I had confi- 
dence, I was, and am now, satisfied that the price paid was a 
fair one ; and in view of the immediate and prospective ad- 
vantage to the city, a very moderate one. 

My connection with the matter I regard as one of the 
satisfactory retrospects of my life. As I understand, the 
validity of the private subscriptions has been doubted, I can 
say that my own, $100, was paid, before the deed to the city, 
in a check on the Philadelphia Bank (now in my possession 
cancelled) to Thomas Riclgway, Esq., Treasurer of the fund. 



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I should consider it most discreditable to the city, should 
this property, in violation of the terms of acceptance, be lost 
to the people, by a sheriff's sale. 
I am, 

Yours, very truly, 

GEO. W. BIDDLE. 



Philadelphia, 10th month loth, 1857. 
Theodore Cuyler. 

Respected Friend : — I am cognizant of ground having 
been sold in the vicinity of Sedgeley Park at $1 50 to $2 per 
foot. 

Respectfully, 

HENRY HAINES, 

Surveyor of 11th District. 



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